ECI Showcasing ElastiCLOUD Data Center and Cloud Networking Solution

Speed and agility are the watchwords of data center transformations globally.  As the just released update to the authoritative Cisco Visual Networking Index (VNI) highlights, IP traffic will increase three-fold between 2014 and 2019, hitting two zettabytes total, or roughly, two trillion gigabytes by 2019.  And, much if not most, of that is attributable to data center-centric services and applications. This expected explosion of IP traffic is why so  much attention and sense of urgency is being paid to network transformation technologies like SDN and NFV.

With this in mind, PETACH TIKVA, Israel-based ECI announced the launch of ElastiCLOUD, a new data center and cloud networking solution, which it will e showcasing at NANOG in San Francisco.    

Connecting the data center pillars

For next generation data centers to be fast and agile all three pillars—Compute, Storage and Network—need to be automated, orchestrated, interconnected with high-speed capabilities and secure.  ECI notes that ElastiCLOUD is designed specifically around these needs. It says that the solution minimizes OPEX with the lowest cost per bit via support of more than 25T on a single fiber, super low power consumption at less than 85W/100G, a mix of packet and optical interfaces in the same platform and extremely high density.

Leveraging multi-terabit platforms and protected by ECI's multi-layer LightSec™ security suite, ElastiCLOUD handles SDN applications for dynamic bandwidth allocation, service scheduling and network automation. Services include:

• Cloud Connect - for enterprise access to hosted applications in private, public, or hybrid clouds
• SAN Connect - for data storage distribution and synchronization for business continuity
• Data Center Interconnect Backbone -  for service distribution between multiple data centers as if within a single data center

Andreas Hegers, Head of Marketing at ECI commented that: "ECI's ElastiCLOUD is designed to be future-proof, expanding along with the needs of the industry. It marries ultra-high performance with OPEX reducing efficiencies and multi-layer security that are second to none. Be it for access to hosted applications of content providers, high speed connectivity between data centers, or SAN connectivity for backup and synchronization for enterprise data, ElastiCLOUD enables data center and cloud networking providers to stay ahead of the curve and achieve success."

As can be seen from the list of services, the word “connect” is center stage.  The data center is transforming and the need to marry packet and optical as optics become more and more dominant for every connection, be they inside the data center or for connectivity with the world, is paramount.  The VNI is forecasting an increase in the frequency and intensity of the IP tsunami waves rolling in along with the acceleration in the unpredictability of the traffic.  This is why the need for speed, agility and security that is cost-effective have created a sense of urgency for data center operators to transform their architectures. It is why so much attention is being paid to innovation in all of the pillars, especially on their connections. 

Edited by Stefania Viscusi